At one of the SSC exam centres in Colaba, Mukund Chari is among the many who are appearing for the Class 10 final exams. Chari, however, stands out in the crowd of teenage students owing to his age - 66.

A resident of Girgaum, Chari had cleared his SSC exam in 1965, but in
Marathi. This time around, he is taking the exam in English at the Holy Name High School.

"My mother passed away in 2000. It was during this difficult phase that I enquired at a night school. Initially, they refused to give me admission owing to my age. But I approached the education department, which intervened, and I started schooling from Class 5," said Chari, who is employed with a flavoured milk distributor.

Alifya Merchant, a teacher at Holy Name High School, said she stopped Chari from entering the class on the first day of the exam. "I told him parents are not allowed and he should get his child instead. Chari then showed me his hall ticket," she said.